Merry Christmas - the Party is over

Nine o'clock Christmas evening,, I'm tired. Don't you think the build up to Christmas sucks a lot of energy? I got to stay in my jammas until about 330 today when I thought that I had better get ready for my 430 family arrival ( should have stayed in jammas! hey~! it's family! ).
I baked a spiral ham, had fresh green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, sauteed sweet potatoes in butter and brown sugar, rolls, salad... there wasn't a whole lot of cooking... but I'm beat!

We got snow yesterday, not like the east coast, thank goodness, ( and I say this cause Texas can NOT handle snow like that! We freak at flakes ! ) but we did get about 1-2 inches. It was sure pretty coming down.. and I can guarantee that I was SO happy to not have to get out in it! It was beautiful from the inside and the news was full of car accidents because of it. Like I said,, Texans do not do white precipitation well..


Tomorrow is the other half of the family, and we go to their house! Enchiladas for dinner, yuuummm! I made my granddaughters these fleece throws,, this one is for Destiny, she is 7 and very much a girly-girl

and this one is for Lexi,, hot pink describes her to a "T",, oh! she is 3 years old too,, can't wait to see what the years bring! They are so soft and nice.. I have made things like this from flannel and ragged them but never fleece. Super easy!

These are from a McCalls pattern and measure about 4 foot tall by about 5 feet wide. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the loose legs... maybe I put them together wrong, the arms should be attached to the legs more than they are. But they are nice soft fleece, double pieced so they should be warm when the girls are wrapped up in them. I sure hope they like them!

Time for bed,, more fun and excitement tomorrow.. but first, another piece of ham

Merry Christmas Eve

well, the elves are behind but MY work is done! I have all the presents finished ( oops, I lied, the label has to go on the quilt for my son, but that's a piece of cake ). I have to run to the store, again!, for something to finish tomorrow's dinner.

Would you believe that DH insists on wrapping the grandkids presents!?! I said "Sure! Go ahead!" but he is the 'elf' and hasn't started yet. I'm not worried, he has all day!

I stumbled on a great giveaway at Susan's Needlemagic blog. Check it out,, some pretty nice things are in the giveaway basket!

Today I get to sew and stay inside - would you believe that we had 75 degree weather yesterday, all sun-shiny and bright. I even had the back door open! Today! they are predicting snow, 40 mph winds and rain... sorta like the government,, you just never know what to expect.

till later.
enjoy your day!

Video of the Day

where were these guys when I was putting up my tree!
enjoy

Movie Watching

I decided that I needed a little bit of indulgence today,, ever feel like that? It's cold ( well, 47 degrees and that is cold to me here in Texas! I know, I know,,, that is n.o.t. cold...) and overcast and just a generally yucky day. I was a good wife first, I cleaned, ran an errand and even took a batch of cookies I made yesterday ( they are yummy, too! ) to my MIL.

Then, the boys and I ( the two, four-legged kind of boys, gray one is Webster and the white one is Dexter ) crawled up in bed, wrapped up in quilts and watched Julie & Julia. I have had it here for about a week and just never got around to watching it. Chick flick - husband wasn't interested. that's ok,, I like movies by myself - well, not by myself cause the boys are there, but they aren't watching, are they? no, they take naps and scooch up next to me and try to push me off the bed, and.... well you get the idea.

Have you seen it yet? I really enjoyed it and recommend it - Meryl Streep is great at anything she is doing. Maybe I liked it so much cause I like to cook, wish I knew more about really cooking ( with a capital C ). One of my goals in life is to go to a school to learn how to professionally use knives. Crazy goal, but I want to learn.

The kind of cooking that I do is SO not like Julia Child - mine is the quick cook -- the "get it on the table, fill up the belly, clean the kitchen - whew! done! ( reminds me of a cowboy roping a steer at the rodeo - you know, when he has the steer's legs tied and he thows out his hands? ) " kind of cooking.

But people in my world aren't into hollandaise sauces, or beef spelled boeuf, geez they don't even like La Madeline's! So, cooking like that would be just for me and I have enough trouble keeping weight off!

Anyway,, I was sorta thinking that cooking to Julia/Julie is like quilting is to those of us who love it so much. It's our form of expression. It's a way to let people know we love them, we care about them. It's our therepy ( and cheaper than a shrink, no matter HOW much fabric you buy! ) and it keeps us sane. We can make beautiful, artistic statements about how we are feeling, whether it is happy or sad, scared or lonely.

It is like cooking... only our quilts last longer and the clean up is easier!

Hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday season... time to go rope a steer -- uuhhh,, make dinner.

Oriental Quilt Finished

I finally got the borders on the Oriental quilt I have been making, and the agreement from all at my Saturday Bee was the green border was just perfect...

It really was a very pretty day today ( felt like close to 70 degrees! ) and the sun was shining, but the colors didn't come out as well as I had wished.. but you get the idea I hope!

this quilt has the colored border around each of the four patches loose,, like this

so I made the green around the outer border be the same way. My friendly quilter tirane and I were discussing how to quilt this... she's thinking on it! I gave her a challenge -- yipee! Never thought I could do that!

I'm happy with it -- it's folded and on the "completed" stack.

Now, imagine this quilt with the setting triangles the same fabric as the border -- and maybe change the sashing around the four patches,,, something to think about, huh?? I saw this done and it was really really pretty. Maybe for another time.

Giveaway Time at The Green Fairy

Check out The Green Fairy website,,
she has some of the cutest patterns, and a great sale on charm packs, jelly rolls, etc..
check it out! She is giving away a layer cake, a jelly roll and a pattern --
cool, huh!

Have a Great Morning!

I have great friends that are sharing funnies with me -- I sure hope you have a better morning than this guy! And my heart goes out to all those in the snowed in parts of the country.
It is about 40 degrees here in Big D, and the sun is supposed to come out and be a really pretty day. I sure hope so, got more shopping to do!
enjoy!

( not affiliated with any advertising on this clip )

I'm a sucker for a MYSTERY

Did I mention that I have been home for the last 4 months and loving it!!! Please! I do not, repeat DO NOT want to go back to work!!!

I think I'm going to do another mystery,,, along with the Carolina Christmas, this one is from the yahoo group "A Pocketful of Mysteries". I'll do a crib size so that won't be so bad. There are four fabrics to pick out, one is a border and the others are the quilt itself

My border fabric will be the stripe and the rest should tie that in - reminds me of SPRING!! They are calling the pattern RAISING CANE... should be interesting!

Anyone else playing???

Carolina Christmas - progress

Who else is doing Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas mystery quilt??? I'm moving slowly right on along,, I ALMOST have step 2 done -- VBG -- I know, step 2 doesn't seem like I'm moving at all! but geez,, there are about 3 gillion pieces per step!

ok, this is one part,,,

and this is the second,,, picture one is 2 pieces x 216 sections and the second picture is going to be a total of 5, yep 5! pieces x 104 sections,,,
see! I'm not so slow after all! golly,, if my math is right, then I have sewn already 952 pieces!! yikes!

so,, who else is playing??

Enjoy the Music

with nothing else to do this morning ( sure, you believe that, right?) I'm reading emails and someone sent me this video from youtube... creative high school students got this together
enjoy!!

Christmas at my house

Christmas is usually not done in a big way at my house. I'm usually working, we don't have a lot of company over ( we go to their houses!) and decorating for the two of us seems sorta silly.

WELL

this year I have been home for three months ( company layoff ) and I decided that I wanted to enjoy the holiday while I'm at home,,, all by myself,,, just for my self! Husband thinks I'm nuts but phooey to him!

So he finally got all my decorations out Sunday and yesterday I put the tree up ( after moving furniture and stuff, maybe I AM crazy! )..This is my naked tree all it has on it is lights, it was pre-lit so I can't claim any great feat ;). Looks pretty naked! I found my nativity set, I was into Southwest style and made this one, ceramics, I still like the simplicity of it... and you have to have a nativity! I have been doing ceramics off and on since I was about 5 years old ( you should see some of the early stuff! ) and I made a real authentic looking one when I was about 7. Mother always had it under the tree, every year,,, hhmmm,, she is in a better place now, and the house has been dismantled, etc... wonder where that nativity set went??? See the white tree skirt??? How many of you still use the classic white sheet! This is not a sheet but it is white material ( kaufman kona probably ) gotta make a skirt!

anyway,, I found this little guy in the box, too... stuck him on the tree but he is all alone! He is made of glass and has a little clippie thing to hold him up. Isn't he just the cutest! It was so much fun going thru the one box,, Christmas memories of times past.

I have several more boxes to work thru,,, one a day is the goal. I have the Christmas spirit now!

Quiltville New Mystery Quilt

yep, I'm a sucker for Bonnie's quilts ( Bonnie Hunter from Quiltville.com ). She has another mystery starting and I'm playing along. I didn't ask my friend tirane to play along this time, I figured she has enough on her plate, and I really! didn't want to hear her moan and groan (vbg)!

Anyway,, these are my fabrics, scrappy greens, golds and the tans. The flowery stuff is my background. Actually this picture isn't very good cause you don't see enough of the contrast between the flowery one and the tans but there really is... the tans are more cremes. Anyway,, I pulled everything from stash and found some fabrics that I didn't even remember I had! Wonder what else I would find if I dug a little deeper ( that is scary, very scary )???

So, this just started and I'm finishing up step 1 - step 2 was just posted yesterday,, so I'm doing good! OH! I did see where she will leave this up until about June,,, LOL think I can finish by then???

Quilts for Kids

I hoping everyone has heard of QUILTS FOR KIDS,, a great organization nationwide that helps kids everywhere

this is their mission statment:

Mission Statement: Quilts for Kids, Inc. transforms discontinued and unwanted fabrics into quilts that comfort children in
need. These children are fighting a life battle with cancer, AIDS, and serious illnesses as well as battered & abused
children. Our goal is to link design centers and other fabric sources nationwide to their communities, so that children in
need in those regions may be served.
Date of Founding & Type: August, 2000; 501(c)3 charitable organization
Number of quilts made & distributed: (as of 2009:
Tens of thousands distributed worldwide
Fabric saved from landfill: (as of 2009): many millions of pounds and counting. . .
Founder & Location: Linda Arye, headquarters in Yardley, PA

anyway,, I stumbled on this from somewhere and ordered a kit ( no charge to me! ) and I was amazed at what I got! Beautiful fabrics and totally complete instructions on exactly how they wanted the quilt made. The fabrics were already cut, so I didn't have to do too much of that and it includes everything,,, except for batting and thread! Can't beat that! This is the quilt I made from thier kit at the top. I even quilted it, using just straight line quilting - so super easy!

I also made another to send them from my fabrics

I used poly batting in both of them, washed and dryed them and they are going on their way back to Penn. tomorrow.

There is even a super duper label that you sew on that is included with the kit and they say they will sew one on mine.

Check them out! It really was lots of fun and makes me feel real good being able to help others using an art that I love to do.

I think I was a BAD BAD girl

I swore! to myself that I was NOT, nope, not gonna, won't, don't even ask, go out shopping today. I heard cars driving down our street reeeellllyyyy early this morning and thought,,, " aaahh, this is such a warm comfy bed, with my very own quilt made with my very own hands keeping me warm ( did I say cozy? ) ... those silly people out this early ( gee, maybe they had to go to work, poor them! )

so I slept on,,, happy in my confidence in self that I was NOT going shopping.

But, I kept dreaming about the $1.49 flannel, and how nice that would be to have for quilt backs for kids quilts ( such a deal! ). I was also thinking about how my very very very favorite fabric outlet was having a 25% off sale on their quilting cottons ( their normal price is like $3.00/yard, so this would be $2.25/yard -- for good stuff! )... Nope, not gonna,,,,

don't need it

no place to store it


Well, I finally got up about 9am, and decided "what they hey,, maybe they will be sold out, maybe the cutting line will be so bad that I won't stay, maybe I won't see a thing I want" and went to Joann's...

got my number at the cutting tables, first ( smart move says I ! )

found the flannel, and picked out about 6 different patterns,,, some for boys, some for girls,,,

I'm number 59 and they just called 32 - moving right along!

I browsed the rest of the store and got some buttons, fat quarters, the iron I love ( of course on sale!, it's out of production I think, and Joann's had some! )

they just called 47!

Ok, guess I'm doing it,,, I go stand by the cutting area and about 15 minutes later I have the fabric I originally had in my cart, plus (big grin! ) about 3 more styles.

3 yards each ( remember this is for backs for kids quilts! )

home again, home again, jiggity jig...

I MIGHT BE BEHIND TIMES - BUT THIS WAS COOL

I have been good and sewing up a storm ( AFTER I got home from shopping ssshhh! don't tell my husband all that I bought)

but I needed a break so I started browsing, surfing, whatever it's called now, and I ran across this cool video from Missouri Start Quilts. If ya'll have seen this, good,,, or if you are like me and behind the times,, good then I'm not alone.

Anyway, I might try this technique for a charity quilt... or two

THANKSGIVING - I hope everyone has a day they will remember.

Yep, it's that day again,,, when (usually) the women spend all day cooking - yep more cooking - did I say cooking, then put everything on the table for all the guests who show up

`````` ( hopefully on time but sometimes not )

along with the stuff ( that took more cooking,, or in the case of some of MY family members, stopping at the open grocery store for the tub of potato salad )

that they brought and ( geez, why did Sister Sue bring that dang dog??!! )

15 minutes later...................


wait......................


wait....................... it's coming



IT"S ALL OVER!!!


so now the men have moved towards the television (( if you planned it right, you eat BEFORE "THE GAME" ,, they have their spots picked out, the toothpicks tucked in tight and

wait.................


wait..................... it's coming

,,, they all fall asleep!!

Except the really true die hards, who have to replay the game play by play, and of course! they know how to REALLY armchair quarterback -- ( like my passenger seat driving (grin) )




So, the women sit around the table and pick at the leftovers, thinking that we really need to get the mess cleaned up - cause after all, there is STILL the desserts left ( and I do truly love love love pumpkin pie! )

who is taking home what,,, is there a place to put this,,, no Aunt Mary, don't throw the silverware away,,, yes, please, take that leftover cranberry sauce home - here's a container,,, just put it all into the dishwasher,, ick, mashed potatoes got smushed into the carpet,,, no, let's leave the tablecloth on for now,, no Granma, you don't have to wash them by hand, the dishwasher WILL get them cleaned,,,, who IS that snoring???

does this sound like your house??

AAAHHH,, families,, I love mine like crazy..... and I like nothing better than the BIG Thanksgiving Dinner where EVERYONE shows up, the kids are crazy ( and it's fun to hop them up on sugar! ) the house is too small and too hot and there is too much food and all I want is a nap and PLEASE! Sister Sue WHY did you bring that dang dog?? Who is that snoring??!!! Is the game over yet? the stuffing was icky, I like mine better, the turkey was great wonder how much is left can I have another piece of pie? get the DOG out of the kitchen.

This year,,,

we went out to eat.

HELP ME DECIDE!

I really have been busy making a quilt... It's called Chinese Magic and it is all sorts of Asian fabrics. Made a little dent in my collection - a little dent.

I can't decide which way to go with the borders... so I need your help!

this way with a cream/gold border first, finished to 1-1/2, then a small 3/4 loose border then about a 6 inch main border,,,,
or...
this way,, with the green first cut for a finished 1-1/2, then the small 3/4 creme and the same border fabric.




I picked the green and creme cause of the main border fabric and because there is so much purple in everything else ( sorry, no big picture of the entire quilt yet )

SO,,, which way should I go??

GE Designs Christmas Tree Mat

GE Designs Christmas Tree Mat,
originally uploaded by Beth in Dallas.

The Cross Country Christmas Quilt Designers Blog Hop has lots of cool projects for doing... this is from GE Quilt Designs,, and I just love it!
It would be even better if I would just follow instructions! It's a 'quilt as you go" which is so much fun to do, cause it's done so fast!
I finished the binding and buttons and bells last nite,,
I'm thinking that I might make another in REAL Christmas fabrics,,,so, go check out the blog page at http://gudrun.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/11/ccc-blog-hop-day-1.html and do one,, super easy!

Designer Blog Hop

Have you guys been following along with the Cross Country Christmas Quilt Designers Blog Hop? It has been just loads of fun reading about their lives and their memories. Brings back lots of memories of Christmas's past for me too.

There have also been lots of recipes and nifty quilty things to make.. as soon as I get the binding sewn on, I'll put up a picture of my tree wall hanging..

anyway, today is here..http://www.newleafstitches.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=26&comment_id=1299#josc1299

at New Leaf Stitches.... she has a really cute pillow to make,, I printed out the pattern and it will be on my list for this coming week...

Have fun!

( i'm not affiliated with any of these ladies,, I'm just having fun blogging around)

A QUILTER'S THANKSGIVING DINNER

Ok, Saturday nite, I spent the day with my Saturday buddies being really really productive so I figured that a little down time in front of the computer is needed. I'm browsing around on the blogs that I love to read and Happy Zombie is on my list... WELL! You have go to go visit here
http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/?p=381#comment-107235. I can't give it away, you are just going to have to go read the blog..

but

this is MY idea of a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner!

Enjoy!

ANOTHER BLOG HOP CONTEST - QUILTMAKER

I gotta get off the computer and get some dinner on the table,, but I found this blog hop

http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/

its from Quiltmaker Magazine and it looks like there is a bunch of contests, and prizes, and lots of cool info... a special issue magazine too,,,

check it out for me,, husband is hungry!

EDIT EDIT ___ I WON!! See me doing the happy dance!! I really really won a copy of this magazine! Mine is coming from Eileen Fowler at Quiltmaker...http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/2009/11/10/100-blocks-navajo-nights/

I can't wait to get the book!

still doing the happy dance

Cross Country Christmas Blog Hop

Second Day - get to know Sandy Gervais here...

http://piecesfrommyheart-sgervais.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-hop-day-2.html?showComment=1257895026986#c847042972322637644

she has a really cute placemat tutorial and some yummy popcorn balls...

I've been busy making the tree wall hanging from yesterday -- well, I took my MIL shopping today but I have it cut out and ready to piece! Maybe I can get it done tonite???

Ladies, STOP! I can't make them all!!!

CROSS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS QUILT DESIGNER BLOG HOP

Today starts the first day of the Cross Country Christmas Quilt Designer Blog Hop ---
it starts here http://gudrun.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/11/ccc-blog-hop-day-1.html and there are about 11 or 12 more on the hop... I printed out a tutorial for making a wall hanging from Gudrun's web site,, really cute! and looks so easy to do.

Join in, read the rules and they are giving away prizes... I'm finding lots of cool things on their blogs and learning who they are, too!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

I always loved that song -- "another one bites the dust - boom boom" ( the booms are drums I think,, I'm too old to remember! )

Anyway,, got another top done -- geez, all it needed was borders, what was I waiting for?? These were blocks from a swap at my guild from a few years ago. It has been put together and I had the fabric for the borders,, just didn't feel like putting it together - I'm a lazy girl!

Now I wish I had put in a small third border between the purple and the main border of a LIME GREEN!! wouldn't that be cool! Just a little zinger in there... nice bright LIME GREEN! what a hoot!
not a great picture and it isn't even laid out well on the grass ( I was too lazy to even hang it up on the side of the house like I usually do - lazy girl ) but I think it will be a nice wrap up in sorta quilt. I have enough of the border stuff to make the back, too. If you can get in close, the border has leaves in it so it's not just blurbs of green and purple.

Anyway, back to the LIME GREEN,,, think I'm going to bind it in that!! That will give me my lime green fix and make a little zippity-do-dah to this 'just ok' swap quilt...

A NEW LOOK TO MY BLOG

I've spent a couple of days playing around with the way my blog looked. I just wasn't real happy with how the words spilled over into background and it just looked sloppy.

I found out how to make this layout be three columns,,, that was a biggy for me! messing with the code ( and I used to be a programmer many many years ago - MANY years ago! )
I changed the header picture, I think I want it still a little smaller, but that can be for later...
and
I managed to loose some of my sidebar things,,, oh well,, guess I start over with those!

So, whatchathink?

WHIMSEY - finally finished

Doesn't it feel good to finish a project? I have so many unfinished ideas in plastic bags, that when I FINALLY get something finished, I'm just that much more inspired to get them all done! ( dream on little girl, dream on! )

This is called Whimsey

All 30's fabrics that I had, so I didn't have to buy anything!
It is from a book I have called "Granny Quilts" by Darlene Zimmerman. There is a bunch of great patterns in it... if you're into 30's prints!
I learned somethings about my quilting with this one. I put the final borders on and they were w.a.v.i.n.g. in the wind, you know, that lovely ripple effect (( I was saying not nice words )). So, off they went and when I layed the quilt down without borders, I discovered that I had been a little heavy handed with the iron... some of the blocks had stretched. eeeiii !

I put it away. For awhile. But it bugged me.

So out it came again and geez, how to fix this.

I cut new borders ( just the solid blue ) out of fabric the LONG way,, that way no stretching. I also found out I put the wrong size border on first ( duh, 2-1/2 is NOT 3 ! ). This made the sawtooth border fit better ( another big fat DUH ). And putting the last border on, cut again on the long way of the fabric,, made it all just about right - well as right as it will be.

Think I'll quilt this one myself, just straight line stuff, super simple.

I like the quilt - it sure isn't a prize winner - but I think I can cozy up with it this winter just fine!